I got a sample pack from Ilford and personally I liked Classic better then Smooth with Pearl finish. But.. there is a big but. By accident I dropped tiny water drops on print and when I wiped them off - inks gone also. "Water test" on Smooth Pearl left all inks untouched without any visible defects. Now it is my "a must" test for any new paper media.
So, wat is your experience?
I printed on Canon 9000 II with genuine inks BTW.

About third party inks. I am in process for re-printing all my framed prints older then three years mostly due to fading (HP printer with bulk inks). IMO it is pretty much pointless to use 9000 II with junk inks and junk paper. If someone try to save the money he/she has to choose cheeper printer at the beginning.
Cheers
Alex.